THE GEELONG WOOLLEN FACTOCIES.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 323, 9 June 1874, Page 2

THE GEELONG WOOLLEN FACTOCIES.

We have inserted the following article from the MelbourneArgai, under the belief that the Waikato settlors take an interest in the subject that will before long ripen into the establishment of a woollen factory in tho diatrict. It 13 endent that with the adaptibihtj of the Waikato wool-growing ,. tho increased settlement, and the ready communication that I will be afforded when the railway communication is com 1 * pleted to Auckland wo shall possess advantages that will I warrant ua in following the example set bj our Geelong friends : — " For a considerable time past additions and alterations have been made to tho works of the Victorian Woollen and Cloth Manufactory Company on tho banks of the Barwon,. to meet tho constantly increasing demaud for th«ir textures* Within tho last 12 months they have erected a new engine, made by local engineers, double tho power of the ongnal one. An additional building has been added to the factory of brick and stone, uniform with the room previously erected, and measuring 11 feet each way. The facto rj is now divided into three compartments, the engine being nearthe centre, which enables the manager, Mr Squire Ward, to cany on the various operations more systematically, and with less confusion. Tho new room is occupied by the weavers. On one side are the hand-looms, where the heavy cloths, blankets, &c, aro woven ; and in the other portion the machine-looms. There are Ti looms in this room alone, 30 of which have recently been imported. Of this number I over 50 are now at work, and the others will be employed an soon as the new machinery now being fitted up is ready. | The next room is devoted to carding and spinning Tho looms having been removed has given additional space, which has been occupied by new machinery. Additional alterations are proposed to be executed in the engine-house, including the erection of a new boiler. Near the enginehouse a new drying room is being erected. Detached from tho main buildings is tho new woollen room, composed of brick, stone, and iron, and attached is an engine 14-horso power, with machine, which is applied to the purpose of ronioving foreign substances from the wool. Not far off is the burring machine. The old roo-n in the original factory will bo used a3 a finishing room, in which the tweed will bo cut, I hot-pressed, and stored till required. In on* of the com- I partments is a large stack of teazles, which \ve*o grown by a I farmer of Camperdown, who netted £ab for a waggon load. I It is stated that the same quantity could bo grown on &tM acre of land, and the manager is prepared to supplj seccfl gratuitously. Tho present annual cost of teazles is £200. I There are at present 200 persons employed, but the number, it is expected, will soon retch 253. Some three years ago tho manufacture of blankets was commenced w ithout any great success. 'Ibis season, however, 1500 pairs will at least be required to meet the demand. The company have largo orders for railway carriage lining and tweeds ior the industrial schools, and also a heavy order from tho Queensland Government. The prospects of tho company were never better, and great credit is duo to Mr Ward, the manager, for his skill in carrying out the requisite improvements. The Albion Company's works, the result of private enterprise, are now double the size they were at the commencement, extensive additions having been raado within tho last four months. On tho west side a wing has been added 18ft. wide by SOft. in length, and to the north tho main twostoried building baa been extended 77ft. Tlio third establishment to bo known as tho JBarnon Woollen Factory, is now in process of erection, and will bo about the third of th& size of the Victorian Company's work*. Alongside tho Albion factory a commencement has been made with Mr 1 Collins's woollon fuctory, the main building of which will measure 80ft. by 1'lOlt. A manager to tako charge of this factory when completed has arrived from England."

' Two very evident offenders bad reason to thank Mr liathgate, tbo Dunedin K. M., lately for bis Ijnx-eyecl capacity of discovering informalities in the summonses. A querulous fellow was charged with being drunk in a public place, but the magistrate, to his apparent joyjruled that a right-of-way leading into a private yard could not be recognised as a ' public placo,' and liberated tbo accused ; whilst^ in tho second instance, »i woman of recent importation, whoso character is not considered unimpeachable, was brought up for being a vagrant, but the information wa» wrongly dated, and she was discharged. The following curious advertisement recently appeared in an English religious journal :— "Wanted a second hand apt of Commandments. Old iashiunod ones painled on wuod will do."